Download Key Terms and People Taking Notes

Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________
Cultures of East Asia
Section 3
MAIN IDEA
Geography and cultural borrowing from China shaped the early civilizations of
Japan and Korea.
Key Terms and People
archipelago large island chain
Shinto “the way of the gods,” a religion based on belief in supernatural beings
called kami
Prince Shokotu ruler of Japan between 593 to 622, member of the powerful Soga family
Lady Murasaki Shikibu wrote The Tale of Genji, considered the world’s first
full-length novel
Koryu dynasty Korean dynasty that who ruled from 918 to 1392
Taking Notes
As you read the summary, use a graphic organizer like the one below to
take notes about early Japan and Korea.
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Cultures of East Asia
Section 3
Section Summary
RISE OF JAPANESE CIVILIZATION
The nation of Japan consists of some 3,000 islands.
The islands form an archipelago (ahr-kuh-PE-luhgoh), or large island chain, along East Asia’s
mainland. Steep mountains covered with forests
leave only a small amount of farmland but this land is
fertile and receives much rain. The sea provides food
and serves as a barrier against invasion. However,
huge waves called tsunamis, storms known as
typhoons, and frequent earthquakes pose threats to
Japan’s safety.
Early Japanese people were hunters and gatherers
who arrived from the Asian mainland during
prehistoric times. Over time, they developed a religion
called Shinto, which is based on belief in nature
spirits called kami (KAH-mee), whom they believed
were their ancestors. Shinto does not have a sacred
text or formal structure like many religions. Instead,
followers build shrines to kami in natural settings and
perform ceremonies to ask for their blessings.
Japanese society was organized into clans based on
extended family ties. By the 500s, the Yamato clan
became the most powerful. They claimed the sun
goddess as their ancestor. All of Japan’s emperors are
descended from the Yamato. Eventually, other clans
gained power and controlled the emperor. Often, the
emperor became a figurehead with no real power.
FOREIGN INFLUENCES ON JAPAN
Japan’s culture was influenced by nearby Korea and
China. Korean traders and travelers introduced Japan
to Chinese writing. Buddhism also came to Japan
through Korea. One of the people who most helped
spread Buddhism in Japan was Prince Shotoku (shotoh-koo). He served as regent for his aunt from 593
until 622. A regent is a person who rules for someone
who is unable to rule alone. Shotoku’s devout
practices helped Buddhism spread. He also sent
young scholars to China. Over the next 200 years,
many of these missions brought home Chinese
fashions, food, tea, artwork, music, dance, gardening
and ideas about law.
Name three ways the sea
affects Japan.
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
How was Japanese society
organized?
_______________________
_______________________
How did Prince Shotoku
influence religion in
Japan?
_______________________
_______________________
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Cultures of East Asia
Section 3
THE HEIAN PERIOD
In 794 Japan’s emperor moved the capital to Heian
(HAY-ahn), now called Kyoto (kee-OH-toh). This
period, called the Heian period, lasted until 1185.
The nobles at Heian lived in beautiful palaces and
enjoyed easy, privileged lives. Lovely gardens, art and
poetry were popular. Rules of etiquette governed all
aspects of court behavior and dress.
Monogatari, or fictional prose, was especially
popular. Noblewomen were discouraged from
learning Chinese, so many of them wrote and read in
Japanese. By this time, the Japanese had developed a
way to write their spoken language by combining
Chinese characters with phonetic characters.
Heian women produced some of the best works of
early Japanese literature. The greatest writer was
perhaps Lady Murasaki Shikibu (moohr-ah-sahkee
shee-kee-boo). Around 1000, she wrote The Tale of
Genji, considered the world’s first full-length novel.
During most of the Heian period, the Fujiwara
family controlled Japan until rich landowners with
private armies began to challenge them.
KOREA
Korea’s location has made it able to share its culture
with Japan and China’s but it has also made Korea
vulnerable to invasion. Korea is a mountainous
peninsula with limited land available for farming. The
first Koreans came from northeast Asia. Chinese
influences in Korea included Confucianism,
agricultural methods, writing, political institutions,
and, later, Buddhism.
After China’s Han dynasty declined, a kingdom
called Silla allied with China to conquer Korea. The
Silla then turned on the Chinese and drove them from
Korea. They decided, however, to pay tribute to China
to ensure harmony and goodwill. When the Silla
kingdom weakened, rebels founded the Koryu
dynasty, which lasted from 935 until 1392. During
this time, Korean artisans created a pottery style called
celadon and metal moveable type.
In the 1200s, the Mongols invaded. They stayed
until 1392 when a Korean general founded a new
dynasty, which ruled until 1910.
How did the Japanese
develop a written
language?
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
Name two ways Korea’s
geography has affected the
lives of its people.
_______________________
_______________________
_______________________
Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
Full Survey Chapter 11
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Interactive Reader and Study Guide